Mario Savio

Early life –I am the son of an Italian steel worker and I was born and raised in Queens, New York. I am highly educated, starting with my graduation as valedictorian of my high school class. I then attended Manhattan College as well as Queens College, both on full scholarships. The summer after completing my bachelor’s degree in 1963, I went on a Catholic church retreat to Mexico to help construct facilities to improve sanitary problems in the slums. This was the beginning of my public aid career.


Occupation: I am a student at University of California, Berkley. I aspire to later become professor at Sonoma State University.

Economic background: I was raised in a low middle class household in Queens, New York. I went to a pretty poor high school that has one of the highest suspension rates in all of Queens.

My primary focus is on the freedom of speech, although I first started out with general aid to blacks, helping African-Americans in Mississippi to register to vote and teaching black children. Then when I began by career at UC, Berkeley, my free speech movement took full swing. My initial goal was to raise money for SNCC, but the universities’ restrictions on political activities or fund-raising for political purposes enflamed my colleagues and I to take further action. I and several other students soon began the Free Speech Movement, a protest against the University administration and its anti-speech ruling.


Drive And Purpose
My good spirit and raising from a hard background first inspired me to serve the community. My visit to Mexico then caused me to realize something must be done. My early work with SNCC, the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee, pushed me to launch fundraisers to help our cause. When the University of California denied us these activities, I had to take action. The Free Speech Movement was then formed and I had my calling for the defense of the 1st amendment.

Friends:

  • Abbie Hoffman - SNCC
  • Stokely Carmichael


Foes:
  • University of California, Berkeley


Bibliography:

1. "The Berkeley Student Rebellion of 1964 by Mario Savio." FSM-A -. Web. 22 Dec. 2009. <http://www.fsm-a.org/stacks/mario/savio_studrebel.htm>. *

2."Mario Savio and the Free Speech Movement." The SIXTIES. Web. 23 Dec. 2009. <http://sixties-l.blogspot.com/2009/12/mario-savio-and-free-speech-movement.html>.


3. "Who Was Mario? ::." Mario Savio Memorial Lecture Fund. Web. 22 Dec. 2009. <http://www.savio.org/who_was_mario.html>.